Red Deer County is trying out a new bridge design that is expected to be more environmentally friendly.
The new bridge is required to replace an aging span across the Raven River, just south of Highway 54 about 10 kilometres west of Spruce View.
Council approved the $1.29-million contract to Stony Plain-based Formula Alberta Ltd.
The company intends to use a single 24-metre span across the river by using steel girders.
That means the new bridge will not need the three piers the existing bridge requires.
Those piers can be maintenance hassles because ice and debris can build up around them. Not using piers is also better for the environment and fish habitats.
The county got some other good news on this project when a provincial grant was approved covering 75 per cent of the cost.